Patent GB-261050-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to aeroplanes
IPC: B64C33/02
Filed: 1926-11-09
Abstract: 261,050. Bonney, L. W. Nov. 9, 1925, [Conveaation date]. Aeroplanes; planes, arrangement and construction of; steering and balancing. - An aeroplane has wings which are hinged to enable the dihedral angle to be varied to a considerable degree and means are provided for simultaneously varying the angle of incidence. The rear edges of the wings are flexible and the tips and also the elevator are composed of overlapping sections which can be extended and contracted, the tips in the same or opposite directions. For storage purposes the wings may be tilted until they are parallel to one another and then backwards parallel to the fuselage. Hydraulic transmission to the various controls is used. The wings are each built up on three main spars 15, Figs. 4, and 10, the upper spars being pivoted at 25 to members 15<1> braced together and supported by a transverse tubular member 16 capable of rotating in bearings carried by star-shaped supports 17 from two adjacent bulkheads of the fuselage. The lower spars are hinged at 35 to the piston rods 31 of pistons 30 working in cylinders 26 which are pivoted at their inner ends to a member 27 braced to the members 15<1> by convergent struts 28, 29. Normally the ends of the piston rods are locked to the cylinder heads by collars having interrupted screw-threads, these collars being connected by links 41 to levers 42 on a sleeve operated by a lever and cord 43. When these collars are released a valve is moved to put ports 55, 56 on opposite sides of the pistons into communication with one another, whereupon the wings can rise through about 45‹ until the pistons reach the ports 56. Simultaneously a piston 49 connected to a lug 51 on one of the members 15 displaces fluid through a port 53<1> in a cylinder 48, this port being connected to a port at the upper end of a cylinder 45 pivoted to a bulkhead 20, Fig. 6. A port 54' in the cylinder 45 connected to a port 49 in the cylinder 48 forms a return circuit for the fluid. The piston 46 in the cylinder 45 is connected to a lug 47, Fig. 6, on the rear member 15<1> so that as the piston 46 is displaced by the fluid from the cylinder 45 the central frame and wings are turned about the member 16 to increase the incidence of the wings for landing purposes. Additional ports 60 in the cylinders 26 and ports at the inner ends of the cylinders 45, 48 are connected through cocks to a fluid pump to enable the wings to be restored to the normal position, or folded up parallel to one another and subsequently turned by the piston 46 until they are parallel to the fuselage. The rear portion of each wing is made flexible so that the contour varies automatically with the speed. The front portion is rigid and supported from the spars 15 by the framing 113, 114, 115, 116, Fig. 10. The rear portion is composed of flexible plates 120, 121, the upper plates sliding over blocks 130 carried by the lower plates, and being supported in their extreme positions by the contoured edges of members 19. The section is biassed towards its lower position by springs 125 acting on bell crank levers linked to the upper and lower surfaces by toggles 127. The wing tips each comprise a flexible feather member 90, Fig. 20, pivoted at 91 to the wing and a series of auxiliary feathers 94 pivoted to the feather 90 at 94<1>. These feathers are interconnected by linkage to a main link 95 pivoted to the wing at 95<1>. The member 90 is moved by a hydraulic cylinder having hydraulic connections to a similar cylinder the piston of which is movable by the pilot to cause the feathers to fold as shown in dotted lines. Two sets of cylinders controlled by the pilot enable the wing tips to be folded simultaneously, or to be differentially actuated. Similar hydraulic transmissions effect the movements of the rudder and elevator both of which may have flexible rear edges as shown in Fig. 10, or as shown in Fig. 17, where the upper and lower surfaces are connected by springs 86. The members of the elevator also may be folded and extended by the linkage shown in Fig. 14, the main links 80 of which are connected to toothed sectors 79 engaging teeth on a cylinder 81 which is moved by fluid pressure acting through a hollow piston rod. The elevator as a whole tilts about an axis 72.